Politics & Government
'Immigrant Rights' Graffiti in Downtown Norcross
Nearly identical pieces were seen in Downtown Duluth.
Updated July 6, 9:20 a.m.
Two pieces of political graffiti art were apparently put up in Historic Norcross sometime before the morning of Monday, July 4. The Norcross Police Department and Public Works & Utilities Department are now aware of the works.
One was located in Thrasher Park. It appeared to be a large sticker of a woman holding up a sign, but the message was unclear. The words "rights" could still be read, despite some of the image being peeled off.
Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The other work was on the brick of the building that houses Dominick’s at Cemetery Street and Skin Alley. It is a graphic, circular image of a tree and its roots that read, “Immigrant Roots, Immigrant Rights.”
Almost identical pieces appeared in Duluth over July 4 weekend.
Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Duluth Economic Development Manager Chris McGahee reported that graffiti art appeared on the side brick wall of the former Economy Pharmacy building at the corner of Main Street and W. Lawrenceville Street. The circular image depicted a map of the United States and a tree with roots with the words "Immigrant Roots" above the map and "Immigrant Rights" below it.
A poster was put on the historic Calaboose (jail) farther down on Main Street, but was partially torn or peeled, he said.
Dominick’s manager Robin MacKinnon said that the restaurant has no idea where the image on the building in Historic Norcross came from. An employee was getting ready to take the image down at 2:45 p.m. yesterday. “I don’t have an opinion on the issue either way, but this is not something we approved putting up,” said MacKinnon.
A similar piece of graffiti was spotted in Washington, D.C. in 2009, according to this blog post.
The image was also part of a May Day rally organized in Washington, D.C. in 2009, organized by the National Capital Immigration Coalition.
The issue of immigration is at the front of people's minds, since House Bill 87 went into effect on July 1, with two provisions blocked. Protest of Georgia’s took place at the State Capitol on Saturday, with news reports that between 8,000 and 14,000 people in attendance.
The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights also encouraged a “day without immigrants” on Fri., July 1 when HB 87 took effect.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.